


The Silence of the Snow

by Uthizaar



Series: The Winter Series [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Blizzards & Snowstorms, Cabin Fic, Car Accidents, Chimeras, Christmas, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas Vacation, Christmas songs, Conspiracy Theories, Corey Likes to Sing, Domestic Violence, Driving, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hiking, Hot Chocolate, Kissing, M/M, Original Dread Doctor Lore, Panic Attacks, Pet Names, Physical Abuse, Post-Series, Protective Theo, Snow, Sweet, Theo Can Cook, Theo's truck, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trauma, Yetis - Freeform, bad drivers, chimera pack, hit and run, parental violence, references to past violence, supernatural is known, triggering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-24 03:05:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17092862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uthizaar/pseuds/Uthizaar
Summary: Theo and Corey have plans to get away to a cosy Christmas cabin high in the stunning peaks of Beacon Mountain, but a chance encounter puts their romantic getaway in jeopardy. Can they make it to their cabin before the winter storm pulls in and have their dream Christmas?Please note that the first chapter of this series contains strong themes of physical, emotional, and psychological parental abuse and some readers may find this triggering or disturbing. The remaining chapters touch upon these themes, but they will be much more geared towards fluff and comfort. Corey’s parents are pretty bad people in this story.





	1. Broken

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter contains references to, and depictions of, physical and parental abuse, including domestic violence, that may be triggering to some readers.

Corey groaned and snuggled deeper into Theo’s embrace, his eyes closed as his boyfriend’s arms tightened around his shoulders and waist. He tucked his feet back under the blanket and mumbled wordlessly against Theo’s flushed skin, leaching his heat. “Mmh, don’t wanna go…”

“Haha, I wish you could stay here forever too!” Theo’s laugh rumbled through his chest and he tilted his head down so his cheek brushed against Corey’s own. “I’m never more comfortable than when I’m with you, Corey.”

“Hmm, Theo, you haven’t shaved today.” He complained quietly, shaking his head and pulling back to look at the older chimera. “You know that I don’t like that.”

“Sorry, bunny.” Theo smiled and leaned forward to kiss his boyfriend’s furrowed brow. “I’ll shower and shave before I collect you later, ok?”

“I guess.” Corey replaced his head on Theo’s chest and turned his attention towards the _Glee_ Christmas special they were re-watching. He sighed contently as Theo began rubbing his thumb in circles through the fabric of Corey’s shirt. “That means I have to get up though.”

“Yeah, hate to break it to you, Corey, but your work shift starts in forty minutes.”

“Ugh, I really didn’t need to know that.” He released an exaggerated sigh, but forced himself to sit up, pulling away from Theo’s warmth and grabbing a blanket instead. Corey looked out the sliding doors that led onto Theo’s tiny balcony and he immediately brightened up. “Look, Theo! It’s snowing again!”

“Haha, I see it, forecast said that it’ll be the heaviest snowfall in southern California for a hundred years.” Theo stood up and followed Corey over to the doors. “They reckon that there could be as much as fifteen feet in some parts of Beacon Mountain.”

“What?” Corey glanced at him, hugging the blanket around his shoulders like a cloak. “Are you sure that we’ll be able to get to the cabin?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, Corey, I was talking to Jerry in the Roads Section last night,” Theo turned to him and placed his hands comfortingly on Corey’s arms. “He said that they’d be clearing all the major roads and salting them as much as they can, even brought in snow ploughs from up north.”

“Ok, if you say so.” Corey nodded, reluctantly letting the blanket slide off so he could fold it and place it on the couch. “Are you sure they’re ok with you taking all of Christmas off though? What if an emergency happens and the County needs you?”

“It’s fine, Corey, I’m owed five days since I started working there in September.” He grinned and shrugged at the same time. “The Supernatural Response Unit is for all intents and purposes a local government initiative, even if the Mayor just thinks it’s an overreaction.”

“I wouldn’t call the Anuk-Ite an overreaction…”

“Yeah, well, that’s all over and things have been quiet for the last few weeks.” The older chimera handed Corey his jacket as he slipped his shoes back on. “Better strike while the iron’s hot and use this opportunity to get away. Besides, do you really think that I’d leave you with your parents again after last Christmas?”

“Well, no, but…” Corey flushed as Theo pulled him back into a hug. He closed his eyes and breathed deep, taking the calming scent of his boyfriend deep inside his lungs. “Thanks, Theo.”

“Do you want me to drive you to the store, Corey?” Theo asked as he pulled away, sparing a glance for the snow still falling endlessly outside his apartment. 

“Do you need anything else?” Corey looked at the pile of coats and snow boots placed next to the door and then back at his boyfriend. “For the cabin, I mean.”

“No, but I don’t mind doing it.”

“It’s fine.” Corey shook his head. “I have my coat and gloves with me, plus I don’t want my bike clogging up your hallway.”

“I told you before that it’s fine, Corey.” Theo watched as his boyfriend packed up his lunch and placed a water bottle into his bag. “I know you’re not eighteen yet, but I don’t think anyone is going to care about that if they knew what was happening at home.”

Corey stopped moving, and his pulse sped up. “I…it’s fine, Theo. I love spending time with you here, but I’m still needed at home, they’ll, err…they’ll-”

“Right, of course.” Theo replied softly, looking around at the small, one-bedroomed apartment. “Well, um, I’ll see you tonight, text me when you’re ready and I’ll collect you. Don’t worry, I won’t go to your door, neither of us want to set your Dad off again.”

“Yeah.” Corey whispered, his scent filling with a stomach-twisting mix of fear and stress. “Thanks for last night, Theo, it was magical.”

“Aw, Corey, the magic is only just beginning!” Theo grinned at him and walked his boyfriend to the door, his hand resting on Corey’s shoulder. “If you thought hot chocolate and store-bought cookies were neat, wait until you see the views from the cabin I booked for us! We should be able to see all the way across the Beacon Preserve towards town in one direction and then the frosty peaks of Beacon Mountain in the other!”

“Haha, looking forward to it!” Corey smiled, Theo’s excitement infectious. He pulled on his coat and gloves, wheeling his bicycle out of the hallway. Theo held the door open for him, shivering as snow blew in around him. “Go back inside, Theo! You’ll catch your death out here in just a t-shirt!”

“Later, bunny!” Theo leaned forward to kiss Corey’s cheek and then pulled back inside as his boyfriend shooed him away. _I love you._

 

“Beacon Mountain!” Theo exclaimed to himself, checking the Airbnb booking for the tenth time that day. He had to make sure nothing went wrong with this vacation, that Corey got the Christmas he deserved for once, away from his horrible parents. Theo scowled at the screen when he thought of the Bryants, his claws shooting out, bloodlust flaring in his yellow eyes. The chimera breathed deeply, chest rising as he drew the air into his lungs, diaphragm falling as he released the same breath, the meditative exercise calming his seething rage and letting his claws retract.

It had been a long process for Theo to get to the stage where he was able to channel his killer instincts into relaxing yoga, but with Corey’s help and support, he no longer wanted to take the easy way out and rip every problem’s throat out…even when some of those “problems” deserved it. Theo stood up, pacing back and forth across the small kitchen-cum-dining-cum living room of his one bedroom apartment in the center of Beacon Hills. He was able to look out the front window and see the Sheriff’s Station with its jaunty Christmas decorations, while the sliding doors at the rear gave him the less flattering view of the back of the KFC. 

He felt his heart beating slower and Theo stopped pacing, nervous energy dissipating along with his violent urges. The chimera looked instead at his laptop, this time opening up the spreadsheet that he had made to tick off all the supplies and equipment that they’d need in case the snow got worse than expected. It had been something he would have never done before he started working for Beacon County, but Theo’s co-workers had almost been as impressed with his efficiency as with his claws and strength. 

The chimera walked into his bedroom, tidying back the duvet and pillows from when Corey stayed the night before. He pulled out the backpacks he had prepared earlier that week from the closet and carried them into the living room. _Glee_ continued to play behind him and Theo found himself singing along, his notes off-key, but it was still enjoyable. Corey was really into the show and he didn’t mind sitting through the seemingly endless relationship drama if it made his boyfriend happy.

“Now, let’s see…” Theo counted off the items from his list as he checked the backpacks. He carefully placed Corey’s Christmas present in the front pouch of his own bag, zipping it closed. “I think I have everything, and the owners said they’d get the groceries in before they left. Totally worth the extra three hundred bucks!” He nodded at the next item on the list and reached for his nearby sweater, before going into the hallway and grabbing his coat and gloves too.

The snow swirled around him as Theo climbed down the exposed staircase towards the on-street parking. He crunched through the shin-high drifts and reached out to sweep the snow off his truck’s hood. Theo opened the driver’s side door and leaned in to pull on the release for the hood. There was a click and he backed out, closing the door and moving around to the front of the Tundra’s engine. After a quick inspection of his oil and water levels, the chimera checked on the belts, grunting as the cold lanced through his thin trousers. “Good.”

Theo closed the hood carefully and made his way back to the rear of the vehicle. The open bed of his truck was covered in a tarpaulin, but he pulled enough of it back to check on the tools he stashed there earlier that week. “Hmm, shovel, yes. Hi vis jackets, check. Tow rope, check. The winch should also help just in case. Um, oh, the extra fuel canisters..." Theo shook them enough to hear the liquid slosh inside and he replaced them. “Ok, got the spare tires and the studs on the current set, we should be all ready to go!"

Feeling satisfied that he was adequately prepared, Theo shivered and banged his gloved hands together. He secured his truck and made his way back towards the apartment building, the wind beginning to pick up with a menacing howl and sending the snow flurrying around him in a mini-blizzard. Theo shut the door of his apartment with a grunt of relief and pulled his winter clothes off. He checked his phone when he returned to the living room, grinning as he realized how close they were to leaving. “Only a few more hours!”

 

“You can go home now, Corey.” Mr Bumblebar came up to him as he was finishing restocking the sledgehammer section. “The snow doesn’t seem to be stopping out there any time soon, and I know you cycle into work.”

“Thank you, Mr Bumblebar.” Corey replied, smiling at the silver-haired man. “You know that I won’t be working until the 28th, don’t you? I cleared it with Philip last week.”

“Yes, I know, he told me.” The older man reached into his apron and pulled out a fat envelope. “This is your Christmas bonus, you’ve been a great help, picking up all the slack following my son’s accident earlier this year.”

“Oh, wow! Thanks!” Corey grinned as he accepted the cash. “Merry Christmas, Mr Bumblebar!”

“You too, Corey, enjoy your vacation!” The man smiled at him and returned to the counter.

“Awesome!” Corey whispered, slipping the envelope into his bag when he stepped into the backroom. He punched out and grabbed his stuff, waving a final goodbye to his boss before tugging on his coat and gloves. Corey jammed his hat on his head once he was outside, pulling the soft, furry flaps down over his ears as the wind blew a shower of frosted flakes into his face. “Bah! It really is getting worse! But I bet Theo is ultra-prepared, he always is.”

The chimera felt his heart lighten and a warm feeling swoop through his stomach as he climbed onto his bike and started pedalling. His house was about twenty minutes across town and he planned on cutting through the high school to avoid having to cross the square in the treacherous snow. But the weather couldn’t dampen Corey’s spirits as he continued to grin, thoughts flying around his mind between his bonus from work to his upcoming vacation with Theo. 

His exuberance vanished as soon as he rounded the corner of his street, keen eyes picking out both his parents’ cars in the driveway down the block. _Crap, why are they at home? She was meant to be at the support group and I know he had that meeting until seven. Can’t be good either way._ Corey slowed down and stopped on the pavement outside his house. It looked like all the others on the street; grass and garden maintained, no Christmas decorations, but not all the families on this side of town wanted to light themselves up like neon targets. He walked his bike into the open garage, parking it as far away from his parents’ cars as he could in case there was a scratch and he got blamed.

“I wish I had Theo’s sense of hearing,” Corey muttered to himself as anxiety filled his body, teeth already gritted tight in the hope of maintaining some composure. The chimera crept back towards the front of the house and took a deep breath. “I’ll just get inside and climb the stairs at once, grab my bag and then I can call Theo to come get me at the park instead. Ok, ok, let’s do this.”

Corey pushed his key into the door, twisting as carefully and silently as he could, hoping to slip in unnoticed. He could have just used his powers, but a small part of him _wanted_ to see what was happening inside, what always happened when the two of them were home before him. Occasionally Corey thought that he could step in and stop what was happening, but each time that the notion cross his mind, he thought back to the day when his father first hit him. That slap still rang through his ears, the blazing fear and pain and anger that accompanied it was always worse than any of the others that had followed.

The door opened slowly, and Corey stepped inside, shutting it in time to hear the sound of crashing plates from the kitchen down the hall. He grimaced when the slurred words of his father came through the thin walls. Anger thrummed in the air and Corey squeezed his eyes shut when his Mom started screaming back, more plates smashing against the wall. He could hear the fuzziness of her words too, it was always worse when they both drank. _I gotta get upstairs._ Corey made a move towards the stairs, but the kitchen door was slammed open, banging against the dresser nearby and his father stormed out.

“You!”

“I’m just-”

“What are you doing here?!” The man demanded, his beer-stained breath assaulting Corey, blood-shot eyes and flushed cheeks indicating that it had been an early drinking day. 

“I live here.” Corey mumbled, lowering his eyes to see the fresh bruises on his father’s knuckles. He fought the urge to vanish and instead slipped his hand into his pocket, reaching for his phone. _I’m not getting upstairs._

“Oh, yeah?” Corey’s father drawled at him, his tone dismissive. “Where’s your rent, boy?”

“You don’t collect until-ah!” The chimera yelped, staggering backwards when his father lashed out and punched his cheek, heavy rings adding to the assault. “Fuck! Get away from me!”

“Don’t curse at me! Don’t tell me what to do!” The man screamed at him, landing another brutal punch against Corey’s head. “You all think you know better than me!”

“Ah! Stop!” Corey whimpered, dropping onto the ground and scrabbling desperately for his phone. 

“James!” His mother called out sharply from the kitchen door. “We haven’t finished our conversation, you get back here right now!”

“Gah!” Corey’s father kicked at him savagely, foot connecting heavily with his ribs and forcing him to collapse onto the cheap tiles, gasping for air. The man turned away from him and stormed back towards his wife, picking up a vase from the nearby sideboard. “You do what _I_ say Ann, not the other way around!”

“Don’t you threaten me, you oaf!” She screamed back, another bowl shattering over Corey’s head as they resumed their argument with renewed ferocity.

Corey cowered on the floor, his fingers rapidly tapping on his phone, sending a coded message to Theo. _Theo will come, he’s always there for me._ He took refuge in the thoughts as the domestic war raged overhead and his mother’s screams began turning to howls of pain and fury, his father grunting with exertion. _Please hurry, Theo…_

 

Theo glanced at his phone as he finished tying his snow boots and zipping up his coat. “Ah, Corey, must be ready to…” He trailed off, seeing the message. “911, that must mean…again. Grr!” Theo snarled, and he caught sight of his yellow eyes in the reflection of the TV screen. “I’m coming, Corey.” He grabbed the rest of his gear and the two backpacks, his keys jingling in his pocket as the chimera exited his apartment and entered the snowstorm outside.

Theo drove as fast as he dared, the studded tires allowing him to take the corners of the mostly empty streets with skill and speed as the truck skidded around the road. He was only a few blocks from Corey’s apartment when the snow seemed to get thicker and visibility plummeted completely. Theo gnashed his teeth irritably as he was forced to slow down, the delay allowing his mind to wander as it always did in these too-familiar situations when he was rushing to intervene with Corey’s family.

“I should have done more, should have convinced him to go to the cops after that last time.” Theo muttered to himself, driving around a stuck motorist. “It shouldn’t matter that he healed too quick for there to be any evidence, after all the things we’ve done for this town, Stilinski and Parrish should have done something.” The chimera grunted as he finally managed to turn onto Corey’s street, roaring down the block as loose snow was expelled behind him in a great spurt. He wrenched the parking brake up hard and the truck slid sideways, turning almost fully around before rocking to a stop. 

Theo jumped out immediately, not caring that the vehicle was still running, and he sprinted across the street. He glared at the neighbors who were standing on their porches on either side of Corey’s house and he paused in the middle of the front lawn. “Heard enough, have you?! Or have any of you actually bothered to call the cops?!” They turned away quickly and went back inside, doors shutting with soft clicks. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.” 

The front door wasn’t locked, and Theo pushed it open, his nostrils flaring as the smell of fresh blood mixed with the potent stench of fear and anger and alcohol drenched the air. Theo stopped resisting his anger and let his claws slide out, fangs forcing his mouth open as he stalked along the darkened hallway towards the kitchen door. “Grrr…” He snarled, the tone low and animalistic.

He pressed the tips of his claws into the wood and opened it slowly, eyes taking in the shards of ceramic strewn all across the kitchen floor, smears of blood and spilt puddles of beer marring the door of the fridge and the tops of the counters. The chairs were mostly broken, and the table was flipped over, both indicators of anger Theo had encountered in Corey’s house before. The chimera rounded the island and stopped in his tracks when he saw Corey’s mom on her hands and knees picking up broken dishes, blood running down her face from a nasty looking cut. “Ann.”

“Oh, you.” She glared at him nastily and stood up unsteadily.

Theo felt his lip curl in disgust, the stench of fresh and stale alcohol clung to her and the chimera levelled his yellow-eyed stare at her. “Where’s Corey?”

“Screw you!” Ann turned away and threw the broken plate at Theo’s feet, chuckling when it shattered, and he was forced to jump back. She grabbed a nearby bottle and raised it to her lips, clear liquid that smelt too strong spilling from her cut mouth onto her clothes. “Get outta my house, you animal!”

“Gah, you…” Theo trailed off as he heard raised voices from the back yard. The chimera gave Ann one last menacing growl before he hurried through the utility room and out the door into the yard in time to see Corey staggering backwards. Theo’s world went blood-red and he charged forwards, colliding heavily with Corey’s father and shoving him onto the ground. “Leave him alone!”

“Theo!” Corey grabbed his arm and pulled him back as James got to his feet, his bleeding knuckles raised angrily. “Leave him, let’s just go!”

“No, he needs to be taught not to lay a hand on you again!” The chimera snarled, lowering his body into an aggressive stance. James swung wildly at him and Theo grasped the man’s arm, wrenching on it hard enough to pop the joint from the socket. He smirked grimly when Corey’s father howled in pain and staggered backwards, glaring at them in his alcohol-fuelled rage. “Back off now or next time, I’ll make sure you won’t be getting up.” Theo growled, preparing his claws to strike at the prominent veins pulsing a path up James’ throat, his fangs bared in aggression. “Rawrr!”

“Theo!” Corey tugged on his arm again and the older chimera glanced at him questioningly. “Don’t do it, he’s not worth going to jail for.”

“Grr, fine.” Theo muttered, standing upright and sheathing his claws even as his fangs and glowing eyes remained visible. He pulled Corey against him, not taking his eyes off James who stood away from them, his anger obvious at being defeated by a teenager. “Are you ok?”

“Better now that you’re here.”

“You got your stuff?”

“Almost.” Corey shrugged, not looking at his father, but at the blood-spattered snow beneath them. “I didn’t get up to my room before…before it started.”

“Well, go get what you need, I’ll watch him, and then we can leave.” Theo reassured him, his fury beginning to cool. “Go get the rest-”

“Hey!” Corey’s father protested. “You walk outta this house right now, boy, you ain’t ever coming back in!”

“Go, Corey, I got this.” Theo flicked out his claws again and let his facial features fully shift. “Now you listen to me, James, I don’t care-” He started to threaten the man, his words dying on his lips when he heard an unmistakable sound behind him. “Fuck.”

_Chuchak._

“Mom! What are you doing?!” Corey cried out, staring at his mother wielding the family shotgun and aiming it at Theo.

“Get outta here! Both of ya!” Her words were slurred, and Theo noticed that the gun wavered between him and Corey unsteadily. “You ain’t been nothing but trouble since you turned into one of them chimera monsters and I ain’t having it no more! Go on! Get!”

 _That gun could go off at any time and I can’t risk Corey getting hurt just to put these vermin down._ “Grrr…” Theo growled lowly and stood up straight, letting his features normalize and his claws retract. “Fine, fine, we’re going. C’mon, Corey.”

“I said get out!” Ann shouted and unloaded both barrels just over their heads.

“Ah!” Corey cried out and grabbed Theo’s arm, pulling him towards the gate that ran along the side of the house. They managed to escape through it just as an ornamental toad he made at fifth grade summer camp exploded in a hail of buckshot. “Run!”

“This way!” Theo directed him towards his truck. The blizzard had lessened, but the snow still fell in heavy waves enough to cover their retreat. Theo pulled himself into the driver’s seat, gunning the engine as soon as Corey was inside. He felt the snow tires dig in and the Tundra sped away, rushing down the street as two police cruisers roared up in the opposite direction, their red and blue lights bouncing off the chimeras’ faces as Theo kept going.

“Stop here.” Corey said breathlessly once they turned off his street. He leaned over the central console and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. “Thanks for rescuing me, but I still need to go back for my stuff, Theo.”

“Corey…leave it, I have most of the clothes you keep at my place in your backpack.”

“But I left my present for you at home.” Corey shook his head determinedly. “I’ll be quick, and the cops will be there so no one will notice. Especially once I do this!”

Theo blinked as Corey’s grinning face disappeared, the faint outline of his hidden form fading into the background. The passenger door opened and then closed, leaving Theo to sigh at the now empty seat beside him. “Damn it, Corey, you better come back.” 

 

Corey made sure to walk in the footsteps of other people as he crossed the snow-covered street and watched the police officers in their stand off with his parents. His mom was still brandishing the shotgun, shouting and screaming about chimeras coming to murder them all in their sleep. He paused, watching them as he saw another police cruiser pull in on the other side of the street, Sheriff Stilinski hopping out, his gun drawn.

“One of them monsters attacked my husband!” Ann called out and gestured wildly with the gun. “Just barged into our house and attacked him! Converted our son to their devilry! Bring back the hunters! Bring back Monroe! She had the right idea! Kill ‘em all!”

Corey sighed to himself, watching as his father staggered out, waving his bloodied hand in the air, the other one hanging limply by his side. The chimera smirked a little when the cops shouted for his Dad to stop coming forwards, James seeming to ignore them until he was tasered by one of the deputies. This only enraged Ann even more and Corey’s eyes widened when he saw her levelling the shotgun at the two cops who were arresting her husband. _Don’t…_

He looked around desperately and gathered a snowball in his hands, flinging it at her before the cops started shooting. The shotgun fell to the ground, and Corey nodded grimly when another taser was fired through the air, subduing his mom. _Theo wouldn’t have interfered._ Corey thought to himself as he slipped past the officers and into his house, taking the stairs quickly, reappearing on the top step. _He’s getting better, but there’s still a long way to go, and incidents like tonight didn’t help._

As he gathered his things into a duffle bag, Corey breathed a sigh of relief, packing the trauma of the night into a neat little box that he stored in his mind vault with all the others. He imagined sealing a massive, blast-proof door over the vault and closed his eyes, letting the anxiety and fear drain away, kept secure and safe in that part of his mind. 

The chimera looked around his barren, undecorated room, picking up the last of the sentimental objects he had hoarded over the years-the majority of his stuff was already in Theo’s apartment anyway. Once he was sure he had got everything he needed, tapping his bag carefully where Theo’s Christmas present was securely packed, Corey turned invisible again. He picked up his bag and crept downstairs, avoiding the deputies who were taking statements from reluctant neighbors, across the snow-swept streets and back to Theo’s truck.

 

“Ah! There you are!” Theo exclaimed when the door opened, and Corey hopped back inside. He took the offered duffle bag and placed it on the back seats, turning in time to smile at Corey. “Are you ok?”

“I am now.” Corey grinned back at him, reaching over to clasp Theo’s hand. “Can we get out of here?”

“Yup, I was just planning our route.” Theo flipped his turn signal on and pulled onto the road. “It should take an hour in normal conditions, so add about forty minutes for the fact that it’s night-time and snowy.”

“Mmh, ok.” Corey replied uncertainly.

“Don’t trust me?”

“What?! Of course I do!”

“Haha,” Theo grinned at his boyfriend, heart lightening with every meter they travelled further from Beacon Hills. “Go and put on the Christmas music, there’s a USB drive in the glove box, I compiled the list during my break last night.” 

“Cool!” Corey pulled it out and slipped the drive into the port on the front of the multimedia system, his scent filling with eager happiness as _Santa Baby_ came on. “I love this song!”

“I know, bunny.” Theo smiled back at him, turning slowly onto the highway that would take them through the northern edge of Beacon Preserve and along the narrow roads that encircled Beacon Mountain in the distance. The tires dug in as the truck encountered a sheet of compacted snow that had melted and refrozen, a loud sound that passed as soon as Theo steered them back to safety. “Don’t worry, Corey, the Tundra is designed for off-roading, this snow is nothing.”

“Ok, I trust you.” Corey resumed singing along, leaning over to turn up the heat as wind buffeted the car. “I think the storm is getting worse.”

“Yeah, I heard the forecast earlier and it’s pretty much gonna be a blizzard.” Theo replied, pulling over onto the shoulder. “Hang on, I’ll just switch into four-wheel drive. That should give us more grip.”

“I thought you said that roads would be ploughed and salted?”

“That’s what Jerry told me,” Theo stressed, easing back onto the snow-swept road. “But it’s a lot of ground to cover when they’re not used to doing it. Plus, I bet most of the coverage is going to be around Big Bear Lake; that’s the main route for getting over to Beacon Mountain.”

“Well, why aren’t we going that way?” Corey asked, starting to hum along to _All I Want for Christmas is You_. “Hmm, hmm, hmm!”

Theo pressed his lips together to prevent himself from laughing as Corey bopped from side to side in his seat. “I thought _Last Christmas_ was your favorite?”

“Hmm, hmm, hm-” Corey broke off mid-hum and glanced at his boyfriend. “Yeah, it is, but I love this one too! And I’m just really happy to be here with you, Theo!”

“Aww.” Theo grinned, tapping his brakes as they rounded a slippery corner. “Um, ok, but we’re going this way because it’ll be quieter, even if the roads aren’t as clear. You know what it’s like up there in the summer; one jack-knifed trailer and the entire route is blocked. It’s only gonna be worse with all those snow noobs trying to drive!”

“Uh huh.” Corey stopped dancing as the music changed to a more sombre hymn. “You seem to know what you’re doing.”

“I’ve done off-roading before; don’t you remember when we went up to the lake for Fourth of July? We took that trail through the woods.”

“Oh, I thought that was like a forestry trail?”

“It was,” Theo paused, concentrating as he felt the truck begin to drift out of the lane. He corrected it gently, guiding the wheels back into the ruts that had been formed by previous traffic. “Yeah, it was, Corey, but try going over them in a regular car and you’d get stuck at the first big puddle.”

“Hmm.” Corey nodded and settled back into the heated seat, feeling the warmth seep into him. They continued driving in comfortable silence, the younger chimera watching with tired eyes as the snow fell in thick sheets through the high beams of light from Theo’s truck. 

 

Corey blinked, realizing that he must have dozed off at some point. He looked over at Theo, seeing his boyfriend frowning in concentration, their motion arrested. “What’s wrong? Are we stuck?”

“No, not yet.” Theo grunted, tapping the accelerator. The truck rocked forward, and he grinned when the studded wheels found grip. “We’re ok, just a big dip in the road was hidden and I drove straight into it.”

“Ok.”

“Just be thankful you didn’t have to get out and push!” Theo smirked when Corey shivered. “Put those chimera muscles to good use! Did I tell you about the time I flipped Stiles’ Jeep back over after Parrish-”

“Yes, Theo!” Corey groaned in protest, covering his face. “That’s your favorite redemption story!”

“Hmm.” Theo applied the power and they were moving forward again. “I think we’re about twenty minutes away, we’ve been climbing for the last ten minutes, so the turn-off should be…” He stopped talking as bright headlights came rushing around the corner ahead of them, blinding him. “Gah!”

“Fuck, dim your lights, asshole!” Corey swore at the other driver. 

“Easy, bunny.” Theo smirked at him, continuing to drive forwards, picking up speed again. The other car was still driving towards them with their headlights on full, the sound of their roaring engine faintly audible. “It’s alright, this is like the straightest part of the road, nothing can-”

“Theo!” Corey cried out, seeing the headlights suddenly veer sharply towards them. He yelped as the other car collided with the driver’s side door, a light impact that sent them spinning away across the snow-covered divide. The chimera grunted when his seatbelt tightened sharply across his chest, forcing him to look over at Theo struggling to regain control. The hood had snapped open, cracking the windshield and blinding them. Corey felt the truck slid further across the road, speeding up until it hit the drift at the verge, the wheels slowing abruptly. “No, no, no, no!”

The deceleration was too fast, and he gasped when the sound of tearing metal filled the cabin, everything seeming to slow to half of normal speed. “AHHHH!” Corey started shouting as the truck flipped over, rolling down the embankment and crashing through the snow-covered trees until it slammed back down on all four wheels a moment later. “Ugh…”

“Agh.” Theo muttered thickly, his nose broken by the impact of his face against the steering wheel. “Corey? You ok, Corey?!”


	2. Alone

“Are you ok?” Theo asked, blinking the airbag dust from his eyes and he waited for his vision to return. Blood continued to drip down his chin as Theo felt his nose fit back into place with a painful click. “Ah! Corey?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Corey muttered, looking around in a dazed manner. “What happened?”

“We crashed.” Theo replied shortly. “The other car clipped us I think, I couldn’t react in time, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Theo.” The other chimera hit the release on his seatbelt and groaned as he moved towards the door. “Fuck, my leg hurts.”

“Do you think it’s broken?” Theo turned to him quickly, concern creasing his brows. 

“Um, it’s already healing.” Corey shrugged. “Won’t be the first bone I’ve broken. Give me ten minutes and I should be able to walk on it.”

“Ok, um,” Theo paused and then shook his head. “Wait here, I’ll check the damage and see if I can find the other car.”

“Uh, Theo? I think I can hear fuel running out from under the truck.”

“Don’t worry, Corey, you’re safe here.”

“But won’t it explode?!”

“Nope.” Theo grinned at him, his face muscles feeling stiff from the drying blood that was still smeared on his cheeks. “That only happens in movies, this is one of the safest cars you can get. Besides, it’s so damn cold that I don’t think any sparks could hold.”

“Um, if you say so.” Corey didn’t sound convinced, but Theo offered him another comforting smile and he nodded slowly. “I’ll wait here.”

“It’ll be fine, bunny.” Theo smirked and leaned across the central console to kiss him, his boyfriend wrinkling up his nose when he tasted the blood. “Sorry, I’ll clean off in a minute.” The chimera unclipped his own belt and tried to open the door, his stomach lurching when he heard the tear of metal on metal. _Fuck, it’s jammed._ Theo grunted and shouldered the door, falling out after it sheared from the bolts and dropped onto the snowy ground. “Ow.”

“Theo?!”

“I’m fine!” Theo called back, staggering to his feet. The blizzard had gotten worse and he could barely see ten feet in front of him, even with enhanced eyesight. Theo glanced back towards the road, grimacing as the trail of destruction led only into the snow-driven winds. He tilted his head on one side, trying to hear if there was another engine or some people nearby, but they were alone. “I’ll be back in a minute, I’m going to check if there’s anyone else out there!”

“Ok.” Corey’s voice was pained, but Theo gritted his teeth and walked into the storm, reluctant to be leaving his boyfriend behind.

They had travelled a fair distance from the road, tumbling over and over through bushes and saplings. Theo could see the kicked up patches of snow, the deep impacts from where the roof, side, and tires of the truck had hit the ground and continued rolling. Bits of his car were strewn around, and the chimera absently stooped to pick up a section of his bullbar, one of his high-beam lights, and a piece of plastic from somewhere that he couldn’t identify. Theo climbed up the embankment that ran along the edge of the road and peered through the swirling snow to try and find the other car. “Hmm.”

Even though the accident had just happened, most of the tire treads were already covered with snow and quickly forming ice, but Theo could see enough to know that they were the only ones left. “The bastard ran off! Who on Earth does something like that? We could’ve died!” Theo glared into the darkness and then huffed, feeling the anger drain from him. “I have to go back to Corey. Maybe it’s a good job the other person left, as long as Corey only has a broken leg. Otherwise…” He flicked out his claws as he slid back down the embankment. “I’ll hunt you down myself, rawr!”

“Theo?” Corey’s voice came out of the gloom and he hobbled forward. “I was getting worried.”

“I’m here now.” Theo offered him his arm and Corey took it, leaning against his boyfriend. “How’s the leg?”

“It was broken alright, but I can feel the bone sealing itself and the damage being repaired. I can walk on it for now, and it should reset fully once we get back to your place.”

“Back?”

“Err, yeah?” Corey looked at him, brows pulled together. “Haven’t you seen your truck? The engine is hanging out of the front, the hood is completely crumpled, and you lost a tire, maybe even the axle, along the way down the bank. We’re obviously not getting to Beacon Mountain.”

“Don’t give up so easily.” Theo grinned at him and pulled Corey closer. “Maybe it’s not that bad.”

“I broke my leg not my eyes, Theo!” Corey snarked back. “I just hope that the other car fared better than us; both our phones are smashed. They were in the cupholders and they must have gone flying when we went off-road.”

“Crap.” Theo sighed, returning to his wrecked truck. “There’s no one else up there, Corey, the other car took off.”

“What?!”

“I know, maybe the driver was drunk or something.” He inspected the damage, frown growing deeper as he looked at the remains of the front axle. “Fuck, this is bad.”

“I told you.”

“Hmm, we passed no other cars on that road, Corey.” Theo looked back at his boyfriend as a plan started to form in his mind. “It’s a long way back to Beacon Hills and I don’t have roadside assistance with my insurance.”

“So, what are you saying?” Corey asked slowly. 

“We’re about a mile, maybe mile and a half from the cabin we’re staying at, if we go as the crow flies.” Theo walked around to the back of the truck and untied the tarpaulin that covered the bed. “I have extra snow boots and hiking equipment in here, just case we got snowed in or something. We can just walk.”

“Walk?!”

“I know, exercise! Argh! Just because you haven’t had to work for those supernatural abs since-” Theo laughed gently at him as Corey wandered over and punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Ok, ok, c’mon, it’ll be fun! Plus, we’re chimeras, best of the best!”

“Huh?” Corey tilted his head at him, expression becoming cute enough that Theo stopped just to smile at him. “W-what is it?”

“Nothing, you’re just too cute, bunny!” Theo hugged his boyfriend suddenly and kissed his cheek. “I love you!”

“Gah! Theo! Stop being all adorable!” Corey squeaked, trying half-heartedly to get away from him. “ _Theoooo!_ ”

“Aw, but you are just the cutest.” He grinned wider as Corey huffed. “Ok, so, are you with me on this plan? The cabin is already stocked, I asked the owners to do that before they left. It was meant to be a surprise, but, um, I just want us to be alone and undisturbed for the next few days.”

“No threat to that from the sounds of things.” Corey muttered as he pulled out one of Theo’s emergency packs. The younger chimera paused and looked back at him. “Wait, we said we’d go half and half on this vacation. How much food did you get, I got a bonus from work, so-”

“Don’t worry about that, Corey.” Theo smiled again and opened the pack, pulling out a bundle of rope and two torches. “I got a bunch of your favorite foods, um, consider it your birthday present.”

“Hmm, that doesn’t excuse you from buying me a Christmas present, Theo!” Corey replied, unable to keep a straight face as he grinned at his boyfriend. “Sounds awesome though!”

“I hope so.” Theo gestured for him to come closer. “Since we have to climb to the middle part of Beacon Mountain, just before the trees start to thin, we should be tied together. You won’t get lost and if I fall over, you can drag my ass back up!”

“Sounds good.” Corey nodded determinedly and flicked on a flashlight. “I’m not really feeling the cold, but you must be, right?”

“Yup.” Theo’s teeth chattered, and he pulled on his heavy snow jacket, rammed a furry hat over his head, and slipped his hands into brightly colored ski-gloves. He could see Corey smirking at him while the wind buffeted his boyfriend’s hair back and forth. “I take it you’re ready, Shackleton?”

“I’ll lead the way!” Corey proclaimed, thrusting his arm out in an heroic pose. “Err, but give me directions once we get back on the road…”

 

Corey followed Theo through the trees, looking around at the fresh snow that laid heavy on the evergreen branches. The blizzard was still raging around Beacon Hills, but they had climbed far enough up Beacon Mountain to be out of the worst of it, the long slopes of the massif which provided stunning views of the town on clear days now only showed occasional pinpricks of light when the snowstorm moved. Corey turned his gaze back towards his boyfriend, Theo trudging a path through the thigh-high snow for Corey to follow. He had put on the waterproof trousers over his jeans, so the snow wouldn’t seep into his clothes, but Corey appreciated Theo’s consideration. “Are we nearly there?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Theo looked back at him, “The ridgeline breaks up just ahead and in the summer leads to a vale with the most perfect lake you can imagine. But that pass is probably closed now, so if we turn left instead and keep going, we’ll hit the access road for the cabin.”

“Cool.” Corey moved up so they were walking closer together. “How do you know this area so well?”

“Dread Doctors.” Theo grunted. “Alpine Test Zone Delta is at the top of Beacon Mountain, and the Yeti Research Center was built just below the peak in the ruins of a World War Two listening post.”

“Oh, err, Yetis?”

“They were…actually quite successful!” Theo grinned at him, his white teeth flashing in the night. “Not very aggressive though and they formed family groups to hunt and live together, but I think that’s what the Anthrozoologist wanted.”

“I never heard you talk about that Doctor before.” Corey said carefully, aware that Theo didn’t enjoy discussing his previous life.

“Yeah, funny guy, always interested in understanding the supernatural from a behavioural perspective.” Theo explained, a faraway grin on his face. “He used to say that he was a better funded and educated cryptozoologist; the things he studied were actually real, unlike, you know, Bigfoot.”

“How dare you!” Corey smirked as Theo rolled his eyes.

“Hate to break it to you, bunny, but Sasquatch don’t exist.”

“Hmm, says the _werewolf-coyote hybrid!_ " Corey stuck out his tongue at Theo’s back and grumbled under his breath. “Don’t exist my ass! I’ll show you!”

“I can hear you, Corey, you’re welcome to go exploring in the woods tomorrow and see if any of the Yetis still live around the mountain.” Theo called over his shoulder. He turned when the rope tying them together went taut and Theo frowned at his boyfriend. “What’s up?”

“They’re still alive? I thought you were the only successful first-gen chimera?”

“They weren’t really chimeras though,” Theo shrugged and waited for Corey to catch back up before he turned towards the gentle slope that would bring them out at the access road. “More like resurrected creatures from somewhere else, with a little something extra thrown in for stability. Apparently, the population fell drastically with increased contact with humans.”

“Hmm.” Corey grunted thoughtfully, their progress slowing as the chimeras encountered deeper drifts of snow. “So, what happened to the Anthrozoologist?”

“Oh? Um, he had a disagreement with the Surgeon over reporting and monitoring practices.” Theo shrugged, biting his lower lip. “Plus, the Geneticist wanted to start a program using the Yetis as testbeds for chimera breeding and procreation trials. They never got off the ground though, the Anthrozoologist just took off one day, asked me to go with him…sometimes I wonder if I should have accepted.”

“We never would have met then.” Corey reached out to clasp Theo’s hand and grinned at him. “A lot of really bad stuff happened in between then, but you and me together are stronger than all that, Theo. I’m glad you turned him down.”

“Thanks, Corey.” Theo brightened up, pointing in the distance with his free hand. “Look! The road markers!”

“Huh? Oh.” Corey followed his finger, vision sharpening as he spotted the tall black sticks standing stark against the dull white of the night snow. “We must be getting close.”

 

“Uh, hang on.” Theo stopped suddenly, and Corey walked into him. “Ah!”

“Sorry,” Corey mumbled, rubbing his face. “I’m tired, Theo, we’ve been walking for over two hours.”

“It’s ok, bunny, how’s your leg?” Theo turned around, frowning at his boyfriend. “We’re pretty much there now.”

“What?! Let me see!” Corey made to dash forward, but Theo grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “What is it?”

“If we were in the car, I would’ve told you to close your eyes. Since we can’t do that, you walk in front of me and I’ll cover your eyes with my hands.” Theo smirked at Corey’s expression. “Trust me, it’ll be worth it.”

“Fine…” Corey huffed and obediently waited for Theo to stand behind him. He shuffled backwards until he felt his boyfriend wrap his arms around him and give him a brief hug. Theo released him a moment later and Corey closed his eyes as Theo’s gloves touched his face. “Now?”

“Now, move forward slowly, I can see perfectly clearly so I’ll let you know if there’s anything in your path.” Theo whispered against his ear. “Keep going, a bit more, turn left.”

“Uh huh.”

“Nearly there, Corey.” Theo replied to the grunt with a smile in his voice. “One more turn, going past the trees now…and, voilà!” He pulled his hands off Corey’s face and moved around to see his boyfriend’s expression change. Corey grinned widely, his eyes bright and deep, staring at the festively illuminated cabin. “Like it?”

“Oh my god, it’s awesome, Theo!” 

Perched on the edge of the ridgeline with the rocky slopes of Beacon Mountain rising above it, the cabin was a picture-perfect frosted gingerbread house complete with warm wooden facades and snow-dusted roofs. Corey walked slowly forward with Theo behind him, even though his eyesight wasn't as enhanced as his boyfriend's, the younger chimera could still pick out the details of the low stone wall that encircled the house and guided them towards the sturdy wooden front door, decorated with a festive wreath. 

A large lantern burned brightly above the entrance and cast orange light onto the fresh snow that had blown across the patio area near the door. Corey grinned wider when he saw the Christmas tree in the window, its multi-coloured lights twinkling merrily. "It's perfect, Theo." He whispered, glancing back over his shoulder at his smiling boyfriend. "I love it."

"Well, wait until you see inside!" Theo placed an arm around his shoulders and fished the keys out of his pocket. "It looks bigger from out here because the wood shed, the boiler, and the rest are all housed at the back. But the owners said that they added that protection after getting snowed in a few times. I guess that's no fun without your creature comforts, huh?"

"Yeah, probably not." Corey shivered, hurrying forward towards the door. “You really came through, Theo.”

“What? Did you expect me to take your half and trick you into spending the few days in an unfurnished shack?!” Theo glared at the back of Corey’s head. “I thought you trusted me.”

“I do! Sheesh, touchy this evening.” Corey turned and kissed his boyfriend disarmingly on the cheek. “But hurry up and open the door!”

“Eager to see the inside?”

“Well, yeah, but I gotta pee too.” Corey flushed as Theo smirked and held out the key, slotting it into the lock. “Thanks. Oh, it’s warm!”

“Yeah, the central heating must be on a timer, but I’ll get the fire started too.” Theo stepped aside to let Corey in. He dumped their bags near the door and pulled off his gloves and coat, kicking the snow from his boots before stacking them neatly next to Corey’s. “C’mon, let’s check out the rest of the cabin!”

 

“Woah, that’s such a cool bedroom, it looks even better than in the photos!” Theo exclaimed, the excitement from his voice leeching into the air and making Corey grin behind him. “Oh, hey, you ok?”

“Yeah, there’s only one bathroom, but it’s fine, the shower’s pretty roomy too!” Corey arched his brows suggestively at his boyfriend. “Nothing better than a hot shower after all that hiking.”

“Hmm, I like how you think, Corey.” Theo returned his smirk and gestured at the large, carved fireplace that dominated the bedroom. “I guess we can light this one too and save on the heating?”

“For sure, plus it’ll be cool to go to sleep with a fire at the end of the bed.” Corey agreed excitedly, looking over the copper basket that held round wooden logs, poker and tongs standing against the hearth next to the fire guard. “Let’s go back to the main room though, I want to take a closer look at the tree, it looked so cheerful.”

“Ok.” Theo agreed and followed him into the cabin’s central room that acted as the living room, dining area, and kitchen all in one. The ceiling was arched and high, the soft wooden tones offset by the black cast iron bolts and fittings that held the beams together. A massive stone fireplace and chimney dominated the back of the wall, the fire all laid out and ready to be lit. Comfortable armchairs and a long couch were arranged around an antique coffee table and a richly embroidered rug completed the living area. 

The Christmas tree, in all its natural splendor, stood in-between the two large windows that would let in sunlight during the day, but now reflected Theo and Corey standing side by side in the cabin's interior. There were baubles and toys hanging from the branches, tinsel and colored beads threaded throughout to bounce the lights around, as a silver star sat at the very top. "Hmm, nice." Theo smiled and looked at Corey, his expression becoming concerned when he saw the tears in his boyfriend's eyes. "Corey? What's wrong?"

“It’s just…” He sniffed and wiped the tears away. “It’s so perfect, Theo, everything I could have ever imagined, everything from all the TV shows and the movies, and so unlike anything I’ve ever had before.”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Theo pulled Corey into his arms and hugged him tight. His throat felt tight when he heard Corey sob and weep into his chest, but Theo could also smell the joy that filled Corey’s scent and knew that it was all just a little overwhelming. “It’s ok, I’m here for you. It’s alright, Corey.”

“I’m sorry,” Corey mumbled, pulling away and resting his forehead against Theo’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to get all soppy and emotional.”

“I told you that it’s ok to have feelings.”

“Mmh, I’ve just never had anything even close to a Christmas like this before.” He sniffed and closed his eyes as Theo adjusted his grip to hug Corey more protectively. “You know my birthday is on the twenty-fifth, right?”

“Christmas Day, yeah, I know.” Theo replied softly. “You only got one present in the year, huh?”

“Hah, didn’t even get that most years.” Corey replied bitterly. “I was meant to be born around the thirtieth or the thirty-first of December, but my parents thought that would just mess up their New Year’s Eve plans for that year, so they induced labor on the day before Christmas Eve. I guess it doesn’t happen immediately all the time, so me being born on Christmas Day managed to fuck up their Christmas plans too.”

“What…” Theo pulled away and stared at him. “Who the fuck is that callous about their own kid?!”

Corey just shrugged and wiped his eyes. “I thought that was normal until I started to notice that the other kids at school really liked Christmas and looked forward to the holiday. Not me, that was a week and a half in a cold, dark house with two people who hate each other.”

“Not anymore, Corey.” Theo gripped his shoulder tight and waited until his boyfriend looked at him. “Never again, you hear me? Forget them, they don’t deserve you and once you’re eighteen, you can live with me, right?”

“I…I guess?” Corey saw Theo arch a brow and he nodded furiously. “I mean, yes, Theo, of course.”

“Good.” The older chimera pulled him close again, wrapping his arms around Corey and rocking him slightly from side to side. “It’ll only be for a few months anyway until you go to college.”

“Um, and what about you? Are you staying in Beacon Hills while I’m gone?” 

“Uh, let’s not think too far ahead.” Theo cleared his throat awkwardly and pulled away. “Why don’t you get us unpacked and I’ll light the fire, make sure there’s actually hot water for that shower.”

“Ok.” Corey nodded again, his skin feeling flushed after the unexpected burst of emotion. “I’ll leave your bag in the room.”

 

Theo looked up when Corey entered the kitchen area, towelling his still-wet hair dry. “Hey, are you ready for a cup of my super special hot chocolate?”

“Um, sure.” Corey shrugged and leaned against the countertop beside him. “Can I watch you make it?”

“Of course, bunny.” Theo grinned at him and pulled out a copper saucepan from the cupboard. “The first step is always the right cooking equipment, you need a pot that’s really thin and quite good at conducting heat, like this one from De Buyer!”

“Is this an infomercial?” Corey muttered, looking around the kitchen uneasily. “I feel like I’m in _The Truman Show…_ ”

“Haha, nah, but these things are like four hundred dollars a go, whoever owns this house knows a good saucepan!” Theo missed Corey’s eye roll and he turned to the stove, placing the pot on the ring. “Next you take your cups, good to have ones with a lot of volume. Then you need milk, not water! The people who use water for hot chocolate should be taken out into the street and shot.” He muttered darkly as he opened the carton, eyes flashing yellow.

“Great, I’ll add that to the list of things we’ll do with world domination!” Corey smirked at him and moved closer to see what Theo was doing. “Why don’t you fill the cups completely?”

“Oh, you gotta leave some space for the marshmallows.” Theo tutted at him and dumped the cups full of milk into the saucepan. He turned on the gas and set the ring to medium. “Then you keep the pot there for a moment while you add the sugar to the bottom of the cups; we both have sweet tooths, huh, Corey, two spoons?”

“Yeah, that’s good.” 

“Ok, now you add the hot chocolate granules,” Theo pulled out a small, compact cylinder from the bag sitting on the counter-top next to him. “Only the highest quality Green & Blacks will do!”

“That tub costs like twelve dollars!” Corey groaned at him. 

“Yeah, I know, but you can’t skip on quality!” Theo chided him, measuring out the fine grains on a spoon. “Since there’s two cups of milk in there, I think six spoonfuls should be enough. You can go ahead and get me a whisk, Corey.” He accepted the tool and started stirring the mixture. “Make sure you go counter-clockwise and then when it’s getting frothy and bubbling, turn the heat up and start raking it from side to side until smooth. After that, you take your mini-marshmallows and throw in about two handfuls. Go on.”

“Hmm, aren’t these the most expensive kind?” Corey side-eyed him as he dropped the fluffy cubes inside the pot. “Is that it?”

“Nearly.” Theo stared at the pot, waiting until he could hear the hiss of the milk when it touched the side of the metal. “Once you can hear that sound, the milk is close to boiling and the marshmallows are nearly at gooey perfection! Then you take it off the heat like so, pour half into the cups, careful to avoid getting the marshmallows inside. A quick stir to dissolve the sugar, and then add the rest!”

Corey watched through parted lips as Theo worked, his mouth beginning to fill with salvia as the chocolate scent filled the air. “Mmh…”

“Ah! Wait!” Theo tapped his hands away. “The finishing touches; finest Belgian chocolate, yum.” He picked up a tiny grater and fished a large chunk of chocolate from the bag, shaving slivers of the candy to place on top of the drinks. “Perfection!”

“That seems a bit over the top though.” Corey muttered, seeing the slivers of chocolate melting into the marshmallow layer. “Where’d you learn all that?”

“Oh, the Anthrozoologist taught me how to make the perfect cup of hot chocolate.” Theo replied as he turned off the gas and directed Corey to take his cup over to the fireplace. “He always said that there was nothing quite like it after coming in from observing the Yetis and their rudimentary social system!”

“Um, ok.” Corey blinked and sipped his drink. “Oh my god, it’s actually really good! Where did you get that tiny grater? It’s pretty cute.”

“Hmm? Oh, it was here.” 

“Uh.” Corey frowned. “And the saucepan too, huh?”

“What are you thinking, Corey?”

“Oh, nothing.” The younger chimera grinned suddenly at him. “Thanks, Theo, I’m glad we didn’t go back to Beacon Hills tonight, this place is so awesome.”

“Only because you’re here.” Theo smiled back and kissed Corey. They stood side by side, their backs to the fire, sipping their drinks and admiring the Christmas tree’s twinkling lights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theo’s hot chocolate recipe is actually the way I do hot chocolate myself, completely over the top and yet worth it every time! I don’t have the $400 saucepan though, that’s pretty crazy!
> 
> My inspiration for the cabin and for Corey in this story can be seen at: https://thewritingspace55.blogspot.com/2018/12/thorey-christmas-story.html


	3. Quiet

Corey looked up from the leaping flames that danced in the fireplace of the cabin’s main room when Theo returned. “Did you get through to a tow company?”

“Yeah, I did.” Theo nodded and walked over to the fire, warming himself against it. “There’s a landline in the boiler room, bit of an odd place to put it, but I suppose that’s where you’d go in an emergency.”

“Was it modern or more, err, classic?” Corey asked innocently, stirring his tea with a spoon.

“Um, corded, so pretty old, I guess?” The older chimera shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, I talked to the guy over in Silver Rapids and he said they’d tow it when they could, but it’ll be at least a day after Christmas what with all the crashes. That and there’s like twenty feet of snow down below the mountain, no one is going anywhere.”

“That’s taller than some people’s houses!” Corey blinked and nervously looked out the window. “Are we going to be alright?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, bunny,” Theo came over and smiled reassuringly at him. “We’re in the perfect location, any snow that falls here will settle and it’s actually really clear right now if you want to go out and take a look?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking if you want to go for a walk, Corey?” Theo grinned, holding out his hand, his smile becoming wider when Corey nodded, pulling himself upright. “Cool. It’s Christmas Eve, and we have everything we need, so we might as well enjoy the weather when we can, huh?”

“Yup!” Corey replied excitedly. “Let me get changed real quick.”

“I’ll be here.”

Corey smiled to himself and walked back through the cosy cabin, diverting into their bedroom. It had been just as he had imagined it last night; falling asleep as the glowing embers from the fire threw shadows and shapes across the wooden beams. He breathed deep and savoured the motes of wood pine lingering in the air, it would be even stronger once they ventured outside among the trees. 

He sat down on the bed, pulling waterproof trousers over his sweat pants and then slipped thick socked feet into the snow boots, his toes flexing back and forth in the comfortable warmth. Corey stood up, for a moment wishing he had his phone, so he could document their trip. But at the same time, no phone meant no one was looking for him and his parents couldn’t find him. _As if they’d want to._ He pushed the thoughts from his mind and instead returned to Theo in the living room, smirking when he saw his boyfriend wrapped up in his Arctic survival gear, hood pulled up and scarf obscuring his mouth to his nose. “You look like Special Forces!”

“Haha, thanks, you just look cute!” Theo’s eyes sparkled, and he fussed around Corey; pulling his coat around him and angling the collar to better shield his neck from any stray breeze. 

“Hey, hey, I got it.” Corey batted his hands away and yanked his hood up, glancing around the cabin before they left. “Just make sure the fire is banked up.”

“It is, I put the guard up too, so don’t worry about the place burning down.” Theo gave him a gentle push through the door into the cold winter day. “I have the keys right here in my pocket, let’s go.”

“Ok.”

 

Theo and Corey walked side-by-side through the forest, not really talking other than to point something out to each other. But that was what Theo loved about Corey; he never felt the need to fill any idle moment with inane chatter. Corey liked silence too, and the snow-laden forest that clung to the skirts of Beacon Mountain was perfect for their walk. The trees were motionless, only shaking now and again after some snow shifted around and slid from the evergreen boughs. The snow underfoot was still fresh from the night before, and Theo pointed out the tiny clawed prints that danced across the surface. “Birds.”

“Oh yeah.” Corey nodded, the snow coming up to above his knees. “What about those tracks? They look heavier.”

“Huh?” Theo followed his boyfriend’s finger and then nodded. “Yep, a fox maybe, or a coyote probably. Yeah.” He sniffed the air and heard Corey unsuccessfully stifle a laugh. “Tracks are a few hours old, but smells like a single male, but could be others walking in a line.”

“Hmm.” Corey shrugged, turning slowly on the spot, face tilted up to the sky. He had closed his eyes, listening to the soft, satisfying crunch of the snow under his feet. “There’s such perfect silence here.”

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” The younger chimera continued to spin at his gentle pace, arms stretching out to balance himself as Theo watched. “The air is cold and crisp and smells of pine and forest and peace. There are a few woodland creatures, but they all run away when we come near, none of them want a fight.”

“No, they don’t.” Theo whispered and made his way back over to Corey, careful not to disturb him. “Do you want to talk about what happened last night?”

“No.” Corey stopped moving and opened his eyes. “Nothing happened last night.”

“Corey-”

“Those memories are safe in their little box, buried deep in that vault. They don’t ever have to come out.” Corey walked away from him, his scent becoming colder than the air around them. “And I don’t want to let those people pollute this place, I like it here, Theo.”

“Ok, whatever you need.” Theo approached him, pulling Corey back against his chest and draping one arm across his torso. It was more difficult in the thick layers, but Theo could feel Corey relaxing against him. “Let’s just enjoy the silence for a little longer then.”

 

The sky had turned to that pale grey shale that preceded the fall of snow when Corey and Theo began their trek back towards the cabin. Corey agreed when Theo suggested they go by a different path, closer to the mountain and some of the caves that the Dread Yetis used to live in. Theo wouldn’t use that term, of course, but Corey thought it was more appropriate. _He did kinda laugh that time when I said we should call ourselves the Dread Chimeras, said that packs didn’t need names like that. But maybe if we had a point of unity to rally around when the shit started hitting the fan, maybe the others would still be-_

“C’mon, Corey!” Theo’s voice cut across his thoughts and Corey looked up to see his boyfriend gesturing for him to enter one of the caves. He nodded and accepted Theo’s hand. “Gotcha.”

“Thanks.” Corey scrambled up the last few feet of the rocky lip that protected the cave from the elements. He held onto Theo’s arm as they ventured further inside, squinting into the gloom. “I can’t see anything.”

“I know, take this.” Theo handed him a flashlight.

“Thanks.” Corey flicked it on, pointing the beam at the gravelly ground and then at the strange, glittering walls of the cave. “What’s causing that effect?”

“It’s the gemstones in the mountain.” Theo traced a gloved finger across the rough stone. “Gold Mountain has gold, Silver Mountain has silver, and Beacon Mountain, well, it had a beacon on it. The rock got eroded over time, but the Doctors said that thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years ago, when the sun or moon hit the surface of Beacon Mountain, it would sparkle like a million brilliant diamonds from afar and you’d be able to find your way to it.”

“Cool.” Corey whispered, flicking his flashlight back and forth across the wall, eyes following the glinting particles. “Did no one ever mine the mountain?”

“Sure, there’s a bunch of them all over.” Theo replied knowledgably. “Most of the big gems were found long ago, and the tunnels and caves were very useful for the Doctors and their experiments. The rock gets very hard near the center of the mountain though, and the humans didn’t think there was anything in there worth breaking a dozen drill bits for.”

“Hmm, I think I remember hearing about that.” Corey walked back over to Theo and they moved deeper into the cave. “But it was mostly an urban legend about how the center of Beacon Mountain was one giant diamond! Or a secret underground government lab, or a secret UFO launch pad! Or oooh, a bunker for the Deep State!”

“Uhh, no, Corey, hate to burst your conspiracy bubble.” Theo smirked as Corey’s hopeful expression vanished. “I swear, you learn that the supernatural exists and then suddenly every wackado theory has merit!”

“No every one of them.” Corey muttered defensively. “Those Flat Earthers are idiots, and the fluoride in the water people actually have some good points; maybe not about that specific chemical, but plenty of others!”

“I don’t want to have another hour long conversation about how the government are trying to control the humans by implanting trackers in their fillings every time they go to the dentist!” Theo grumbled darkly, casting his eyes around for something to distract Corey. He frowned when he saw an almost familiar object sitting against the wall. “Hey, Corey, come look at this.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a tribal bowl that one of the Yetis would have used to administer their rites to new members of the tribe.” Theo picked up the fire-baked clay bowl and showed it to him. “I remember watching from the shadows with the Anthrozoologist as the Yetis anointed their leader and chanted dark and guttural words around him. At least, I think it was a him, hard to tell with Yetis; lots of hair.”

“Hmm, seems like you were much closer to this Doctor than the others?” Corey was watching him curiously. 

“Yeah, I guess.” Theo shrugged, putting the bowl back onto the ground carefully. “He was a lot younger than the rest of them, that’s not saying much though, he still looked pretty old. The Anthrozoologist never wore a mask or a hood or anything, though he did rope me into finding old pelts and stuff to dress up in when he observed the Yetis.” Theo laughed quietly and walked back towards the entrance. “It could get lonely doing the bidding of the Dread Doctors, and I wouldn’t call any of the other three particularly good-natured, so I suppose he was a welcome change from scrubbing the blood out of the leather aprons or disposing of the failed chimeras.”

“That sounds…grim.” Corey muttered, following him towards the dull afternoon sky visible beyond the cave. “So why did he even go to the Dread Doctors if he wasn’t really one of them?”

“No one else believed in his research, and Yetis tend to react badly to flash photography.”

“Oh, much like Bigfoot!”

“Hmm.” Theo looked sharply at Corey’s grinning expression. “Yes, well, point is the man had no evidence, but the Doctors are always interested in weaponizing a monster. And a powerful, cold-resistant creature would have made a good testbed for the Beast. The Anthrozoologist disagreed and they fell out.”

“Are you sure he left?” Corey pointed at a cleverly hidden cable that snaked up the wall near the cave’s entrance. Theo joined him and together they followed the black wire up into a small black box with a thin aerial sticking out of it. “It doesn’t look like a camera.”

“Hmm, could be a monitoring point for something.” Theo shivered suddenly and pulled Corey closer to him protectively. “Let’s get out of here, this place suddenly feels wrong.”

“Ok.” Corey glanced at him, his pulse speeding up when he saw Theo’s expression. “Um, do you think the Yetis still live here?”

“No, they’ve definitely gone; no prints, the scent in there is old and dry.” Theo wrinkled up his nose, jumping down into the snow after Corey. “Like blood from a scab; flaky and thick, urgh.”

“Take a deep breath.” Corey stopped and turned to face his boyfriend. He pulled his gloves off and yanked the scarf away from Theo’s mouth, sliding his hands against the older chimera’s flushed cheeks. “Better.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Theo nodded, nostrils flaring as he sucked down the crisp alpine air. He nodded again, raising his hands to rest on Corey’s biceps, fingers tightening their grasp despite the layers of thermal fabric between them. “Thanks.”

“I know what a panic attack looks like, breathe, Theo.” He smiled a little and stepped away to pull his gloves back on before holding Theo’s hand in his own. Corey began walking back towards the cabin, Theo crunching through the snow alongside him. “I know you don’t think it’s healthy to keep things locked away inside, and maybe you’re right; maybe it’ll come back to haunt me in a few years. But I need to do what’s right for me _now._ ”

“What’s your point?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t talk about the Anthrozoologist anymore while we’re here.” Corey smiled again when he smelt the wood pine from the cabin’s fire on the still air, the handsome dwelling coming into view a moment later. “There’s no point in thinking about the Doctors or the things they’ve done, Theo, that’s on them, not on you.”

“I know.” Theo nodded, clasping Corey’s hand in both his own. He grinned at his boyfriend as they slowed in front of the cabin. “Thank you, I don’t know what I’d do without you, Corey.”

Corey didn’t reply, just leaned forward and kissed Theo’s lips softly, smiling as he rocked back on his heels. “C’mon, let’s go inside, I want to get all toasty again!”

 

Corey huffed as he placed the final two baskets of logs for the fire next to the pile that was stacked up next to the fireplace. The younger chimera had volunteered to bring in enough wood to see them through the night while Theo put on the Christmas tree lights and made them something to drink. He hid it well, but Corey knew his boyfriend long enough to notice how rattled Theo had been at the cave. Maybe it had nothing to do with the Anthrozoologist, or maybe everything was to do with the one good Doctor, but Corey knew only too well that there was no use in lingering on the past or the people that had disappointed them.

He smiled warmly at Theo, seeing his boyfriend donning an apron. “You gonna cook something?”

“Well, it’s Christmas Day tomorrow, and I got a big piece of beef to roast instead of the turkey.” Theo explained, opening the fridge and gesturing for Corey to come and look. “I figured that with just the two of us, a bird would be too much, and we can take the leftovers back with us when we return to Beacon Hills.”

“Oh, good idea.” 

“I’ll prep the sides later this evening, you can help me with those if you want?” Theo asked hopefully, smiling when Corey nodded, the younger chimera’s eyes still roving the well-supplied fridge. “Cool, but I’m gonna bake some cookies first, when they’re cool, we can decorate them.”

“Really?” Corey arched a brow at him. 

“Well, that’s one of the few memories I have from my childhood.” Theo flushed and busied himself taking out the ingredients. “I guess I can just make them and-”

“No, no, it’s cool.” Corey touched his arm. “I’ve never done that, but it sounds like it could be fun.”

“Great.” Theo kissed his cheek unexpectedly. “They’ll be in the shape of gingerbread men, so keep that in mind when decorating!”

“Is that a not so subtle hint that I might have to _make_ them men instead of unisex cut-out figures?” Corey fired back, his eyes dropping suggestively towards Theo’s midriff. 

“No need to get political, Corey.”

“Uh huh, just call me when you’re ready for me to cause havoc with my icing guns! Pew! Pew!” Corey mimed pistols at Theo and bounded away back towards the comfort of the couches by the fire, hearing Theo laugh good-naturedly behind him. The younger chimera settled in near the warmth and looked out the window at the gently falling snow over the valley as the evening gathered, the Christmas tree’s lights twinkling merrily nearby. _I love this place._

 

“Ugh, I hate the washing up!”

“Haha, don’t fret, bunny,” Theo grinned at him and hugged Corey from behind. “We are the Ultra Chimera Force! Dirty dishes will melt before our awesome power! Rawr!”

“Uh huh.” Corey rolled his eyes at Theo and grabbed a cloth, ready to start drying as his boyfriend released him and finished filling the sink with hot water. “And you used to riff on me for calling our pack the ‘Dread Chimeras!’”

“Yeah, but at least my title makes us sound like superheroes, not villains.” Theo smirked. “You wouldn’t like being a villain, Corey. And even though sometimes we made choices that weren’t always the best, the pack never fell to darkness.”

“Hmm, I guess.”

“You still talking to Josh?” Theo asked as he rinsed the mixing bowl, their anatomically correct iced Christmas cookie men were setting on the island behind him. “Did he find work ok?”

“Yeah, he’s working for Western Electric now, finding faults in their lines and part of the field crew, I think.” Corey paused in his drying as he thought about the last time he had spoken to the other chimera. “Still partying hard, even though I think it’s mostly with that box of Tasers you got him for Christmas last year!”

“Better than a bottle of wine.”

“Yup!” Corey agreed with a grin, waiting for Theo to hand him the baking tray. “Oh, I heard from Tracy before school broke up, I just forgot to tell you, sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Theo’s brows furrowed. “Tell me she’s not still working in that dump of a biker bar on the I-5?”

“Her uncle runs the place, I think, she wasn’t clear.” Corey shrugged when Theo sighed. “Plus she’s dating that, um, guy, Yorick? Eric? Something like that, so she has some roots, Theo.”

“Hmm.” He grunted disapprovingly. “That guy is like fifty! If she had stayed in Beacon Hills a little longer, she could have worked with me at the County.”

“It’s not like chimeras actually need a pack, you told me that.” 

“Yeah, I know, the individual bonds are always more important.” Theo finished washing up and drained the water from the sink. “And you and I are rock solid, I just wish the others had stayed with us after coming back to help defeat the Anuk-Ite.”

“They still _came,_ ” Corey leant on his shoulder, tilting his head to look at Theo’s face. “That has to count for something; even Hayden came back, and you know how much she hates me!”

“She doesn’t hate you, who could hate my bunny?!”

“Fine, well, she didn’t like the rumor that Liam was super into me and not her,” Corey smirked when Theo sighed in mock exasperation. “She got Liam in the end, so I don’t really understand what her deal was.”

“Are we finished discussing the least notable member of the pack?” Theo asked him, turning to hold Corey’s hand. He smiled when his boyfriend nodded. “Good, now let’s grab those big dicked cookies and sit by the fire!”

“Haha, we almost have enough to make a tribe or clan of them; the Big Dick Clan!” Corey sniggered and followed Theo across to the couches. “Can you imagine that?”

“Surprisingly, yes.”


	4. Perfect

“Mmh,” Corey mumbled sleepily as he turned over, feeling Theo move away from him in their bed. “What time is it?”

“Wake up, it’s Christmas Morning, Corey!” Theo whispered excitedly into his ear and kissed him softly, feeling his boyfriend’s lips wake up faster than the rest of him. “I just got up to put more logs on the embers of the fire, but it’s still pretty early.”

“Hmm, you taste sweet.” Corey frowned in confusion and he sat up, pushing the duvet back from his shirtless torso. “Why?”

“Figured you’d need a little bit of sugar to get you moving.” Theo grinned at him and turned to the bedside locker, twisting back a moment later with two mugs of hot chocolate. “I know how much you enjoyed this last time. There’s a few of the cookies left too.”

“Cool.” Corey smiled and accepted the cup. “It’s really only the one morning in the year you can start off the day eating candy, and no one will give you shit!”

“Haha.” Theo clinked his cup gently against Corey’s own and he leaned back in bed, propped up by pillows that Corey plumped up. “Thanks.”

“Mmh, you’re welcome, it’s really good.” He sipped the hot chocolate appreciatively. “Did you put the Christmas tree lights on as well?”

“Of course, and I noticed that there’s quite a few more presents there than are people.”

“Aw, I wanted you to have a few things to open.” Corey smiled at Theo’s sudden flush. He shuffled closer until they were resting against each other and Corey bent his head towards Theo’s shoulder, his cheek rubbing against his boyfriend’s smooth skin. “That was always the plan; Mason told me about this really cool tradition his family has where they give each other stocking presents as well as their big ones under the tree.”

“Yeah, but Corey, now I feel bad that I only got you one gift.” Theo met his eyes, expression sad.

“No, don’t say that, Theo, not after everything you’ve done for me.” He gestured at the cabin around them. “You got this awesome place for us to stay in and you’ve been cooking and baking and everything since we got here. Which, might I remind you, you wrecked your truck for. That’s gonna be expensive to fix…”

“I just want you to be happy, Corey.” Theo smiled and kissed his forehead. “Oh, happy birthday too!”

“Thanks, eighteen now, well, I will be at nine-seventeen.” Corey sighed and took another mouthful of the warm drink. “That’s the big thing, Theo, you’ve always been there for me, ever since our paths crossed, ever since you resurrected me.”

“I chose you first.” Theo nodded, reaching down to slip his hand into Corey’s under the duvet. “It was never random, it was always you.”

“Thanks, Theo.” Corey replied thickly, his heart pounding as emotion swamped him. “I never thanked you properly for rescuing me a few days ago too. It feels like a lifetime ago on a planet faraway, but I’m glad you came for me.”

“Always.” Theo’s voice grew hard. “We shouldn’t have let them get away with that, the cops will probably just let them go.”

“Does it matter? I’m with you now.” Corey leaned away from him, swallowing the last of the hot chocolate so he could place the empty cup on the other locker. The younger chimera turned back and smiled at his boyfriend, moving closer to kiss him. “I love you, Theo.”

“Mmh,” Theo pulled away from him and smirked as Corey bucked against him, questioning expression on his cute face. “We could make out for the entire morning-and I’d like that tomorrow- but I also want us to have a really awesome Christmas Morning before I start on dinner.”

“Ugh!” Corey sighed dramatically. “Fine.”

“Do you want a shower first?”

“No, I’ll leave it until afterwards.” Corey kicked the covers off their underwear-clad bodies and rolled over him. “Let me get dressed, don’t want to distract you too much!”

“Mmh, that’s a real threat!” Theo agreed with a smirk and then jumped out of bed once Corey was standing in front of the fireplace. He waited for Corey to pull his fluffy dressing gown around his shoulders, choosing sweat pants and a t-shirt for himself. “The room should be warm enough with the fire on.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Corey nodded and gestured for them to leave. “Let’s go, I can’t wait to see your reaction to what I got you!”

 

“Ah hah!” Theo shouted triumphantly, pulling the last item from the festive knitted stocking, reindeer and snowmen prancing across the fabric. He grinned at Corey’s jubilant expression as he began to unwrap the small parcel. Corey had already got him several pens and small notepads that he would use at work, a new set of in-ear buds, a small bottle of the cologne he liked, a bunch of different candy bars and a long box of luxury chocolates, all crammed into the confines of the stocking. Theo tilted his head in confusion as his fingers felt the smooth surface of a box and he arched a brow at his boyfriend. “You’re not proposing, are you?”

“Just open it, Theo!” Corey grinned at him and grabbed a cushion, hugging it to his chest as he watched eagerly for the older chimera’s reaction.

“Woah.” Theo snapped open the lid and stared at cufflinks, snarling wolf’s heads with red gems for eyes. “They’re beautiful, thanks, Corey.”

“I saw them at that craft fair we went to in Hill Valley before Halloween.” He explained as Theo held them up to look at the cufflinks better, the gems sparkling in the lights. “It was hell trying to keep them from you, but I’m pretty sure that it’s only silver plating, it’s not-oof!”

“I love them!” Theo exclaimed, pulling Corey into a tight embrace. “Thanks, bunny!”

“Glad you like them, Theo.” Corey flushed with happiness and kissed Theo lightly as the older chimera pulled back. “That was kinda my big present, I thought I’d kind of combine them all in one.”

“Really cool idea, Corey.” Theo grinned widely, his eyes gleaming as the emotion threatened to overwhelm him too. “I’ll treasure them forever. Here, let me give you yours, it’s actually kinda in the same vein.”

“Oh?” Corey smirked as Theo stooped beneath the tree to fish out a slender box that he dropped into his hands. “Are you sure _you’re_ not proposing?!”

“I admit that it would be the perfect place for it,” Theo shrugged mysteriously. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, you’ll be in college next year, so…”

“Yeah.” Corey whispered, chewing on his lip. “Huh, I don’t want to think about that right now, Theo.” He began to pull off the wrapping paper, undoing the ribbon and removing the bow that was affixed to the front of the gift. Much like his own present to Theo, the box was revealed to be a slim case, but this one was embossed under his fingers, curling gold script that Corey couldn’t read flowed across the top. “What does it say?”

“I wasn’t sure if you could read it, it’s really flowery.” Theo smirked. “But that’s actually a good thing, otherwise the surprise would be totally given away. Go on, keep going.”

“I…wow.” Corey muttered, staring at the satin-lined case. Resting on the fabric was a long silver chain and a solid silver chameleon-shaped pendent. He felt his lips part in surprise as the colors and lights of the room twisted and flared around the pendent, turning it into rainbows that danced across his skin. “It’s so cool.”

“I know you’re not a big jewellery person, but I thought you might like this.” Theo hugged Corey against him when he saw that his boyfriend had started crying. “It’s alright, it’s ok, Corey.”

“I…just…no one has ever…I…” He sobbed against Theo’s chest, letting the older chimera hold him close until the tears had stopped falling and the emotion dried from a sodden mess into hot tiredness. “Sorry.” Corey sniffled, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry, Theo.”

“Nothing to be sorry for.” Theo kept his arms wrapped around him protectively. “It’s perfectly alright, Corey, I’m here for you no matter what.”

“I know.” Corey blinked and ran one finger up the spine of the silver chameleon. “I love this, Theo. Where did you get it?”

“I had it made, I know a guy up in Shadow Valley.” Theo replied softly, resting his chin on Corey’s shoulder. “He used to make specialized equipment for the Doctors, this was a more enjoyable task I imagine. I’m not sure if it has any supernatural powers of its own though.”

“Wait, did you get me a magic pendant?!” Corey rolled his head back, so he could look at Theo upside-down.

“There’s no such thing as magic, Corey.” Theo smirked. “Though you can already turn invisible, so who knows how it might affect that power!”

“Hmm, I’m gonna put it on now!” Corey said excitedly, taking it out of its box and slipping it around his neck. “Ooh, it doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing it. Let me go check it in the mirror.”

“Glad you like it, Corey.” Theo smiled contentedly and lay back, glancing around at the scattered wrapping paper. “Glad you’re happy.”

 

There was a loud, sudden knock on the door and Corey looked up from their recently completed dinner. “Were you expecting someone?”

“No, of course not.” Theo rose slowly, eyes burning yellow. “It’s no one I recognize…at least, no, I’m pretty sure I don’t recognize the scent.”

“Well, put your eyes away, no need to scare anyone.” Corey stood up and patted Theo on the shoulder. “Let’s go see who it is.”

“Ok.” Theo agreed reluctantly and followed Corey towards the door of the cabin. It had clear panels of glass set into the front, though these had frosted over in the icy weather and all Theo could see outside was a dark figure in a long coat and hat. “Hmm, maybe you should stay behind me?”

“If they wanted to hurt us, I don’t think they’d knock.” Corey smirked and placed his hand on the handle. “But maybe keep the claws ready just in case.”

“Always do.” 

“Ok.” Corey pulled the door open, shivering in the Arctic chill that whistled through his thin shirt. “Can we help you?” 

“I believe so.” The stranger turned around, his face cast into shadow from the brimmed hat he was wearing. His voice was smooth and calming, clothes rich and black, his leather gloved hands clasped together on an ornate silver walking stick, the charcoal stem ending in a silver cap. “May I come in?”

“You sound familiar.” Theo was staring at the man. “I feel like we’ve met.”

“On more than one occasion, yes, though our most recent communications have been via email.” The stranger looked up at them, a lined, if still handsome face smiling. “This is my home, Theo.”

“Oh, well, come in, then.” Corey stepped back after looking at Theo for confirmation. “We were just finishing dinner, Mr…um?”

“Theo knows my name, don’t you?”

“Mr Green.” Theo nodded slowly, Corey seeing recognition spark in his eyes at last as they showed the owner into the living room. “Although I imagine that is not your real name, but then again, I never knew you by anything other than by your title; the Dread Anthrozoologist.”

“Huh?!” Corey gasped and turned to look at the man who had now pulled off his snow-laden hat and cast aside his long coat. 

“Please, drop the Dread, I haven’t gone by that prefix since my erstwhile colleagues left me here on this mountain.” The Anthrozoologist looked around, a smile touching his lips and he walked over to the fire, gloves coming off to warm his bare hands. “Despite what they may have told you, Theo, I did not leave by choice. Old Mortimer, the Pathologist to you, he had some quite devious tricks he could whip out at any moment, like wearing other people’s faces, for example.”

“Well, they’re gone now.” Theo replied stiffly, gesturing for Corey to stay beside him. “You’re not the only one who wants to forget about the Doctors.”

“Oh, yes, I heard about that, and the business in Beacon Hills with their remnant of the werelions!” He turned back to face them, a smile touching his lips. “I always knew you would be the one to end their experiments and their legacy.”

“It was more Corey than me.” Theo placed a protective arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. “What do you want?”

“It was happenstance that you chose this cabin, you know? I didn’t engineer it, Theo, I have no ulterior motive in letting you and your boyfriend stay here.” The Anthrozoologist spread his arms wide in a friendly gesture. “In fact, when you contacted me, I was thinking about selling the place for good; the research with our old Yeti friends ended last winter when dear Harold died. The last member of our great experiment.” The man sighed, sorrow touching his features.

“I remember him, the, um, you called him the Keeper of Memories, right?”

“That’s it,” The Anthrozoologist smiled again, though his gaze was faraway. “It was always fascinating that creatures with no connection to their actual heritage, created from samples gathered half a world away, were able to rebuild and recreate their culture, to remember! Remarkable.”

“Hmm.” Theo grunted, feeling Corey inch closer to him. He tightened his grip around Corey and caught the Anthrozoologist’s gaze. “So, you’re selling?”

“I was, I have a place in the city now; in Los Angeles, and work in the university there, um, UCLA.”

“Oh, that’s where I hope to go!” Corey said suddenly, flushing when the man turned his attention towards him. “Um, what do you teach?”

“The much more boring anthropology, I’m afraid, though I do find time for my true passion.” The Anthrozoologist smiled as Theo smirked knowingly. “Old habits and all of that. But, tell me, young man, what is it you hope to study?”

“I’m not sure yet, psychology, conflict resolution, something like that.”

“I suppose that was a bit of a trick question.” The Anthrozoologist smiled wider. “I may have tipped the scales in your favor a touch when I was at the Admissions Office before the winter breakup. I saw your name, made sure it was the same chimera that Theo was courting, and well, you should receive early admission in the new year.”

“I thought they didn’t offer that.” Corey replied warily, his pulse speeding up, wanting to believe it was true.

“They do when the Dean of Life Sciences says they cannot possibly miss having you!” The Anthrozoologist grinned widely as Corey whooped and hugged Theo. “But my good news does not end there, Theo, my old assistant, would you be interested in rehashing that role once more at the university? I could certainly do with someone who knows his way around both petri dish and Yeti cave!”

“I…I don’t know what to say.” Theo mumbled as Corey grinned at him and clutched his arm in excitement.

“Say yes, you dummy!”

“Uh, alright, yes.” Theo smiled suddenly, caught up in the unexpected joy. “Yes, of course, I was always gonna go with Corey to LA, but actually having a job, I mean, thank you, thank you so much!”

“I’ve always believed Christmas to be the best time for good news.” The Anthrozoologist stepped around them. “And I think I’ve got a bottle of bubbly here somewhere to celebrate!”

 

The sounds of laughter and celebration echoed out from the cosy cabin perched in the ridgeline of Beacon Mountain. Snow fell around them as twilight turned to darkness and the lights of Beacon Hills spread out like a thousand sparkling gems when Theo hugged Corey, both of them standing outside, waving goodbye to the Anthrozoologist as he walked back into the forest. “This was the greatest Christmas Day ever, Theo!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this story and I hope it brought you some Christmas cheer ahead of the holidays! I should be back from my own vacation around the 30th or so, and if there’s interest, I might do a short, one-shot smut sequel to this story that takes place around New Year’s Eve. The tone for this story didn’t lend itself much towards smut, but I love Theo and Corey as characters and think they’re both very hot, so do let me know if you’d be interested in that.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ll be releasing the next three chapters over the coming days in the lead up to Christmas. But I’ll also be travelling for most of that and won’t have regular access to a computer for about a week, I’ll try and reply to your comments if I can, but I appreciate any feedback. This chapter is the heaviest, and while the events do have effects that carry through, the rest of the story is fluffier and warmer. Thanks for reading and have a Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating the holiday!


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